Post by Sameera Astor on Jan 20, 2024 10:04:50 GMT -8
SAMEERA "SAMMY" ASTOR
BASIC INFORMATION
Age and Birthday: 23; July, 8, 2000
Year and House or Profession: Owner of Eeylops Owl Emporium
FAMILY & HISTORY
Place of Birth: West London, UK
Notable Relatives: Daniel Astor (Adoptive Brother, Auror, 25, Slytherin), Ezra Astor (Adoptive Father, Muggle, Politician), Ramona Astor (Adoptive Mother, Muggle, Politician)
Character History: Sammy wasn't the first child in Ezra and Ramona Astor's life, but she certainly was the last. Both of her parents were from rich, affluent family, the two children were bound and set to marry each other in order to keep wealth where wealth should be. Ezra and Ramona were not particularly fond of each other at first. Ezra found Ramona to be too uppity and Ramona thought Ezra too common. When they were together in a room, things felt only tolerable. They did not enjoy the presence of the other at all. They had nothing in common, outside of their family's gross amount of wealth. While in a fairytale or a fictional romance novel, Ezra and Ramona would’ve fallen in love, in reality, Ezra and Ramona’s relationship and marriage was a purely social one.
Ezra entertained lovers on the side just as Ramona did. They ran their marriage like they ran their parents' businesses. It was all looked at through a strategic lens. Even when Ramona decided to have a child, it was all from the perspective of strategy. They would eventually need an heir and a child was the only way to produce that. And so, Daniel Astor was born on the 13th of November. It was a dreadful day, cold and icy and bitter. And yet, Ramona looked at the child with a love she’d never experienced before. She truly loved Daniel. He was the first thing that tied Ramona to Ezra with any kind of emotions.
The two spouses continued being distant from each other. Smiling for pictures, with the image of the perfect family. From behind closed doors, however, they slept in different beds and did their best at raising Daniel together.
Five years later, an act of philanthropy occurred.
The Astor family name was in some hot water. It seemed news of a few scandals had broken out in the higher social circles. In order to protect their good name, Ezra insisted they look into doing something that would show their good, righteous hearts. Adoption! Adopting an orphan! That would be just the thing… Ramona had her doubts. How could she love a child that was not her own? But then again… It was just a business move. Sameera was adopted into the Astor family when she was just three years old.
Even as a kid, Sammy knew she didn’t belong in the family that had chosen her. She felt the distance from her parents as soon as she was conscious enough to realize they were not her real parents. Still, despite this realization, Sammy was grateful to Ramona and Ezra who had saved her from her life without a family. However distant, however strange, Sammy had a place to be. A place to belong.
She was a very happy child. Eternally grateful, superb manners… She was anything and everything the Astor’s wanted in a child. Besides the whole… lack of blood relation and all. Sammy spent most of her time as a child drawing or playing outside, out of the house and away from the parents that so rarely called Sammy their own outside of the public eye. Spending time alone was not difficult for the child. She had adventures of granderiour when she was alone. Tales of Queens and Kings and knights and fantastical things she’d imagine from the books her parents gave her to keep her busy and quiet.
She did not get along well with her brother. Well, adoptive brother. Daniel made it a point to make sure Sammy knew they were not actual siblings. It was almost humiliating for the boy to have to show up to primary school with Sammy at his side. His parents' charity case didn’t exactly look good on him. Still, Sammy made do with what she could. Thankfully, Daniel was able to part from his sister under mysterious circumstances when she was 9.
Her big imagination only continued to entertain her. One Christmas morning, all Sammy wanted was snow. She imagined that it would snow and fill her room full of mounds of snow that she could play in and have the best Christmas ever! It seemed her overactive imagination was a bit too powerful, for when white flakes began to drift from her high vaulted ceilings Sammy thought maybe she was dreaming. She was not dreaming. Whatsoever. She’d been scolded for apparently bringing snow into the house and ruining the floors, but Sammy swore up and down that it had simply rained from the ceiling. They did not believe her.
When a nice lady from the Ministry of Magic showed up on Sammy’s birthday, things began to make sense. She’d been invited– or rather accepted– in a school for Witches and Wizards like herself. Sammy had been accepted into Hogwarts-- the same school where her rotten brother had ended up in.
Sammy’s time in Hogwarts was magical. When she’d revealed to her parents that she’d been accepted, they were not in a state of shock. Well, not for the reasons they should have. It seemed, two years prior, Danny had also been exhibiting signs of magic and the same kind lady approached him. Only the Astor’s concealed this from the youngest daughter. Danny and Sammy were both magical, despite lacking blood relation and to the Astor’s greatest dismay.
It took a long while for Sammy to get used to the ways of the Wizarding World. Without Danny’s help, and with his explicit instruction to stay away from him, Sammy was managing the new and wondrous world alone. Still, Sammy managed to fit in and find her place.
Her time at Hogwarts was not completely peaceful. There were many adventures that took wrong turns… Her parents were certainly not pleased. It took a lot of convincing to allow them to keep their children attending the dangerous school, but Danny and Sammy worked together for the first time in their life to ensure they didn’t leave the school preemptively. One year– if they gave them one year, the two Astor children would prove that Hogwarts wasn’t as dangerous as they thought.
And so, Danny in his third year, and Sammy in her first, persisted and continued to experience Hogwarts– the two children wanted to get the full experience, living each moment as if it would be their last day in the magical place.
When the summer of her second year approached, the Astor parents reluctantly let their children attend yet again, catapulting the two siblings into the rest of their lives. Danny, who had already found a home in Hogwarts, continued to live his life, basking in the popularity that came with his affluence and extroverted nature. Sammy, however, hadn’t made a dent in the social scene at Hogwarts.
Her fellow Gryffindor Housemates were kind, but Sammy had yet to come out of her shell. She was a simple muggleborn girl who was far out of her depth with a brother that didn’t want anything to do with her. And so, Sammy blossomed into a bit of a wallflower, watching and observing from the sidelines and minding her own business. It was a lonely game, but one that she played well.
It wasn’t until her second letter that she met Shiloh Ollivander– one of the kindest people Sameera had ever met. She held no cold harshness like Danny, but accepted Sammy with open arms– even if it took her a long while to fully open up. Shiloh was her best friend– and the two girls became inseparable.
The following years at Hogwarts were filled with adventure and discovery. Sammy loved Quidditch, sure, but what she loved even more was tending to the Owls and learning more about magical creatures. By the time her seventh year had passed, she culminated a secret passion for the creatures but could not act on it–
One thing Sammy knew– She would not be returning to the Astor’s home after her graduation from Hogwarts. She appreciated the family but the only thing they’d given her was a last name. She’d never had a proper family. A home was one thing but Danny was the only who would receive the inheritance and the business. Sammy had one plan– And that was to stay in the Wizarding World.
She’d caught wind of an opening at Eeylops Owl Emporium and as soon as she graduated, she applied and got the job. She’d always loved working with animals and working at Eeylops gave her a means to make money and work a fulfilling job, even if it was only for a short while.
Soon enough, the owner of Eeylops was nearing the end of what they wanted their career to be. Owning Eeylops was one thing but… They had other things to do in life. As Sammy had stuck with them so long, they offered Eeylops to Sammy. At the rip age of twenty, Sammy was a business owner in Diagon Alley.
Eeylops was too much work but she was the only one to do it– summer workers helped out where they could, but finding consistent help at Eeylops was difficult. Sammy lived to take care of those owls and in turn, she’d condemned herself to life she wasn’t happy with. She needed more excitement, and the only form that came in was a small summer fling with a playwright. Her life was dull– and she was going to do something about it.
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name or Alias: Sol
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Experience: 10+ years
Other Characters: Yes! Carmen Canek
Role Playing Sample: >